Abstract
Unprecedented gang violence in El Salvador places children and their families at high risk for experiencing multiple traumas. The influence of lifetime exposure to community violence on parenting practices and parent–child relationships among Salvadoran parents was examined using a mixed-methods approach. Thirty-six parents and primary caregivers of elementary school children living in urban areas of El Salvador participated in 4 focus groups and completed the Los Angeles Community Violence Checklist (LACVC). All participants reported direct exposure or witnessing at least ≥2 violent events (M = 6; SD = 2.58), indicating substantial direct and indirect lifetime exposure to violence. Predominant themes in the group discussions included parents’ experiences with the past civil war, the unpredictable nature of current community violence and its negative effects on children and parent–child relationships, as well as the adaptive and maladaptive parenting practices employed to raise their children in violent contexts. Parents also underscored the need for professional psychological support for their children and positive parenting education. Possible implications for clinical practice with Central American parents living in El Salvador and in the United States are discussed.
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